Nepal aim to defend CAVA Challenge Cup

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 22: Nepali women’s volleyball team skipper Aruna Shahi looks to keep the title of CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup 2023 at home. The event will kick off on May 22 at National Sports Council Covered Hall, Kathmandu.

Addressing the pre-match conference, Skipper Shahi said Nepal wanted to make a winning start by beating visitors Kyrgyzstan in the inaugural match on Monday.

She also revealed the national team’s dream of clinching a hat-trick of the title at home court. 

“We have prepared well for the tournament. This is a golden opportunity for us to make a hat-trick at CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup 2023 at home. We already had lifted the title of the previous two editions. We will achieve our goal by taking advantage of home court,” Captain Shahi said.

She, however, expressed her bitterness about not being available with international match exposure before the tournament. 

“We have requested the association for arrangements of the best side for the tune-up matches but the association rejected our proposal due to the lack of a budget.” The Nepali women’s team has clinched the title of the CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup two times in a row under the captaincy of Shahi. 

Altogether eight teams are participating in the Cup including Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

Host Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Kyrgyzstan have been drawn into Group A. Sri Lanka, Maldives, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Group B.

Nepal will be playing its maiden international challenge cup under Belgium Coach Jan De Brandt.

Nepal will take on Bangladesh in their second match on Tuesday and meet arch-rival India on Wednesday. The Challenge Cup will be conducted under the Round Robin League format and the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.